Redwood City man gets prison for shooting a friend in the face

REDWOOD CITY -- A 25-year-old man convicted of shooting a friend in the face after a night of drinking -- leaving the victim without a sense of taste or smell -- was sentenced Thursday to 38 years to life in prison, a prosecutor said.

Okalani Fahina Latu's hefty sentence was mostly due to his conviction on felony mayhem with a gun in connection with the Redwood City attack. San Mateo County Judge Clifford Cretan gave him 25 years to life for that charge, said Karen Guidotti, chief deputy district attorney.

Latu, of Redwood City, was on probation for a 2010 assault the night of Feb. 15 when he went out drinking while allegedly carrying a .25-caliber pistol, both violations of his probation. At the end of a long night, after the last bar he and two other friends visited had closed, the group drove to Redwood City.

Once on the 300 block of San Carlos Avenue, Latu allegedly told one of the friends to get out of the car, which he refused to do at first but eventually did. For reasons that remain unclear, Latu then walked up to the victim, put a .25-caliber pistol in his face and pulled the trigger, prosecutors said.

The bloody victim ran from house to house screaming for help while Latu and two friends allegedly sped away. Sheriff's deputies rushed the wounded man to the hospital, where doctors worked to save his life.

Advertisement

The victim, whose name was not released, lost his sense of smell and taste, hearing in one ear and full use of his jaw because of his wounds. The bullet is still lodged in his head, prosecutors said.

Authorities said it's not clear why Latu fired the shot into the man's face; however, they note his prior 2010 assault conviction was also an unprovoked attack.

In addition to mayhem, jurors convicted Latu of felony assault with a firearm and being a felon in possession of a gun, but acquitted him of attempted murder. He was held without bail during the trial.